Momen for strengthening international support architecture for LDCs

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has urged the global community for a new international support architecture with stronger policies and measures for Least Developed Countries and for the nations that are graduating from LDC status.

He was speaking at the High-level opening session of the 4-day Asia-Pacific Regional Review Meeting.

The event was jointly organized by the Bangladesh government, UN-OHRLLS and UN-ESCAP at the UN Headquarters in Geneva on Monday in preparation for the Fifth UN Conference on the UNLDC-5 to be held in Qatar in January.

Dr Momen lauded the remarkable progress made by the majority of the LDCs of the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in reducing poverty and investing in human resources and infrastructure.

He shared the graduation story of Bangladesh under the dynamic, bold and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that has witnessed per capita income of $2,227 and reaching reduction of poverty to 20.5 per cent.

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN in New York Rabab Fatima chaired the opening session.

UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir, ECOSOC President Collen Vixen Kelapile, LDCs Chair Malawi's foreign minister Eisenhower Mkaka and Turkey's deputy foreign minister Faruk Kaymakci spoke on this event, among others several high-level signatories.

Dr Momen also chaired one session of the regional review meeting, titled "Ministerial dialogue on lessons learned in the implementation of the IPoA-challenges encountered and the way forward".

Bangladesh foreign minister also held meetings with World Health Organization (WHO) director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) director general Daren Tang and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi at their offices in Geneva.

Equitable vaccine distribution

During his meeting with Dr Tedros, the foreign minister emphasized more effective role of WHO to ensure the availability, affordability and equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines for the developing countries.

Dr Momen further highlighted the importance of temporary waiver of TRIPS obligations on production of Covid-19 vaccines, medicines and other medical equipment.

He informed the WHO DG of Bangladesh's capacity to produce vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other medical equipment that would be crucial to fight against the pandemic.

Dr Momen also briefed him about the significant positive impact of the community clinics on public health, particularly maternal and neonatal health in Bangladesh, and sought support of the WHO for establishing more such clinics.

During the meeting, both Foreign Minister and the WHO DG commended the personal initiatives of Saima Wazed, Member of WHO's Advisory Panel on Mental Health for bringing mental health and autism issues in the mainstream of the health sector.

Rohingya repatriation

During his meeting with the Director General of UNHCR, Dr Momen requested for UNHCR's support to put pressure on Myanmar for sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas from Bangladesh.

Philippo Grandi expressed the sincere appreciation of the UNHCR to the Bangladesh government, particularly to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for her extraordinary humanitarian decision to provide the forcibly displaced Rohingyas with shelter in Bangladesh.

Intellectual Property

During his meeting with WIPO DG, Dr Momen sought WIPO's special support and facilitation for Bangladesh's smooth graduation from LDC status and achievement of Vision 2041 by providing support in strengthening the IP sector of Bangladesh.

Both Bangladesh foreign minister and WIPO DG Tang agreed that intellectual property should be a tool for development, and should work as an incentive for SMEs, women entrepreneurs and the youth.

Bangladesh Co-Chair election

Ambassador Rabab Fatima, along with Ambassador Bob Rae, Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN in New York, was elected co-chair of the LDC-5 Preparatory Committee bureau, a key committee that will lead preparations for the LDC-5 conference.

As a Co-Chair, Bangladesh will have the opportunity to move forward to some of its key priorities, including sustainable graduation and international support measures for graduation.